Find Electrician Schools Near Me in York ME 03909

How to Become an Electrician in York Maine

York ME electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near York ME. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are so many factors to evaluate. For example, many potential students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have identified some that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the sole qualifications that need to be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are offered.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near York ME

York ME electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general options to get electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near York ME. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the three most prevalent programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by Maine trade and technical schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are provided by Maine community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Maine institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed before licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites

York ME electricians working on power lines Electricians in York ME can carry out a multitude of services, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually about four to five years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be obtained in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually entails 3 levels of competency:

An experience requirement
Passing a written exam
Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you choose not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Programs in York ME

attending electrician school online in York ME An alternative that you may have considered is enrolling in an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, internet learning may be a more accommodating alternative for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Driving expenses from York ME are also lessened and some of the study materials may be accessed online also. Each of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

York ME electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the York ME region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other variables that must be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the York ME program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get a quality education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate may indicate that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It could also signify that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help York ME students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with York ME area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local York ME electrical contracting company if they can give you some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your York residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to several of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near York ME, check that the schools you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near York ME?

Following is a little bit of background information about the York ME area.

York, Maine

York is a town in York County, Maine, United States, near the southern tip of the state. The population in the 2010 census was 12,529. Situated beside the Atlantic Ocean on the Gulf of Maine, York is a well-known summer resort town. It is home to three 18-hole golf clubs, four sandy beaches, and Mount Agamenticus. It includes the villages of York Village, York Harbor, York Beach and Cape Neddick.

First settled by Europeans in 1624, the plantation was originally called Agamenticus, the Abenaki term for the York River. In 1638, settlers changed the name to Bristol after Bristol, England, from which they had immigrated. Envisioning a great city arising from the wilderness, Sir Ferdinando Gorges, lord proprietor of Maine under the Plymouth patent, named the capital of his province Gorgeana. In 1642, by charter of King Charles I, Gorgeana became the first incorporated city in America.[4]

Following Gorges' death, the Massachusetts Bay Company claimed his dominion. In 1652, York, Massachusetts, was incorporated from a portion of Gorgeana, making it the second oldest town in Maine after Kittery, incorporated two years earlier. It was named for York, England. But control of the region was contested between New England and New France, which incited Native Americans to attack English settlements throughout the French and Indian Wars.[4]

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Enroll in the Ideal Electrician Trade School near York ME

Picking the ideal electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Each training program provides unique options for certification as well. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Take the time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you choose is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in York ME.